Oral statement: Protecting civil society and guaranteeing scrutiny and accountability are critical to addressing the human rights crisis in Venezuela

ORAL STATEMENT

Item 4: Interactive dialogue on the report of the High Commissioner on her report on the human rights situation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (HRC res. 45/20)

 PROTECTING CIVIL SOCIETY AND GUARANTEEING SCRUTINY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ARE CRITICAL TO ADDRESSING THE HUMAN RIGHTS CRISIS IN VENEZUELA

UN Human Rights Council Fiftieth session

13 June – 8 July 2022

Mr. President, Madam High Commissioner

Amnesty International notes the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ report and expresses concern over continuing impunity for serious human right violations and international crimes, including possible crimes against humanity in Venezuela, as well as authorities’ refusal to implement recommendations repeatedly made by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela. 

 In just a few days, on 2 July, prisoner of conscience and Fundaredes Director, Javier Tarazona, will have spent one year arbitrarily detained for defending human rights in Venezuela even as other human rights defenders continue to be targeted. We are also gravely concerned over the proposed international cooperation bill. If approved, it would have devastating effects on Venezuelan civil society, victims, survivors, and the most vulnerable people in a country enduring a humanitarian and human rights crisis.

 Amnesty International has made repeated calls for Venezuelan authorities to end the policy of repression, immediately and unconditionally release Javier Tarazona, allow human rights defenders to safely carry out their work, and grant access to the Fact-Finding Mission, Special Procedures and other international human rights mechanisms. These calls have been echoed by many states in Venezuela’s recent Universal Periodic Review/UPR.

 Regretfully, Venezuela has outright rejected recommendations to release those arbitrarily detained for political reasons, to end the excessive use of force against peaceful protesters, to guarantee full judicial independence, and to fully cooperate with this Council and its mechanisms, including on granting them access to the country.

  Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela, Detailed findings of the independent international Fact-Finding mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, 15 September 2021, UN Doc. A/HRC/45/CRP.11, paragraphs 2086 -2094.

 Lastly, we emphasise that this Council, and all UN member states must accelerate efforts